Pakistan on Sunday replaced struggling Test captain Shan Masood with Babar Azam, who will start a third stint as skipper on the tours of the West Indies and England starting later this month.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Masood, 36, took over from Azam in December 2023 and led the side to 12 defeats in 16 Tests. Pakistan finished ninth and last in the last World Test Championship cycle.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
They again lie ninth in the current cycle after a 2-0 series defeat in Bangladesh in May.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Azam will be our new Test captain as we feel that Masood could not lead as desired," said Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed at a news conference to announce the squad on Sunday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"The selection committee discussed who could be the best player to lead Pakistan and Azam is the best option," said Javed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This will be top-order batsman Azam's third spell in charge of the side, having stepped down in November 2023 and then again in October 2024.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan will play the first of two Tests against the West Indies in Tarouba, Trinidad, from July 25. The second begins in Port-of-Spain from August 2,<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan will then travel to England for Tests at Headingley, beginning August 19, Lord's from August 27 and Edgbaston starting on September 9.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali were omitted after being part of the squad that lost 2-0 in Bangladesh.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Selectors awarded a place to 20-year-old uncapped fast bowler Ubaid Shah, the younger brother of Naseem, who was left out of the squad.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali were the three other fast bowlers selected.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Uncapped middle-order batsman Awais Zafar and left-arm spinner Ali Usman were included for the first time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan squad: <\/strong>Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Agha, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness for England)
\r\n <\/p>\r\n",
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